Ultra low termperature freezer

Eppendorf CryoCube F740hi, ultra low temperature freezer with 740 litre capacity, made by Eppendorf, 2019-2020

This is a -80C freezer that was owned by the Jenner Institute during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a critical piece of equipment during the clinical trials for the Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine against SARS-COV-2. The majority of around 170,000 clinical trial samples tested by both the Jenner Institute and Oxford Vaccine Group, passed through or were stored in this freezer at some point. Data from these samples were used to confirm that the vaccine was effective in preventing infection from SARS-CoV-2, and played a critical role in supporting regulatory approval for the vaccine.

Since the pandemic, this freezer has continued to be a critical piece of equipment within the Oxford Vaccine Group laboratory, especially for studies being led by Professor Teresa Lambe. Capable of holding 57,600 samples, ultra low temperature freezers are an essential part of biological laboratory research to ensure delicate chemical compounds and biological samples remain usable and reliable and to meet for clinical safety standards. These freezers are highly optimised; temperature controlled and have security protocols.

Aside from this importance for research, the ultra low temperature freezer raises questions about sustainable practice in the life sciences – balancing the ecological impact of running these freezers versus the potential human benefit of research. However, due to the low temperature, they consume high amounts of electricity. A single freezer running at -80°C uses as much energy in a year as an average household.